Oil-flotation process



UNITED STA Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

V ALBERT w. man; or SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

OiL-FLOTATION rnoons's.

No Drawing.

This invention relates -to the recovery of copper and other metals from ores, by the flotation process, and the main object of the invention is to eliminate the deleterious effects of solublesalts present in the ore pulp, such as salts of iron and manganese which seriously effect the recovery of such metals.

It is well known that various soluble salts of iron and manganese seriously effect the successful operation of concentration by the flotation process. I have found that those salts of metals which are capable of existing in diil'erent stages 0t oxidation, such as iron and manganese, are less detrimental to the recovery of metals by the flotation process when present in the ore pulp in a-higher oxidized form, and the present invention involves the step of changing these constituents into higher oxidized forms.

The following table shows the results obtained by subjecting different ores to a flotation process:

Orea containing [6770! sulphate Lbs; FaS0 per ton o! are Per can copper in failings seewr OIQOIOU! Oru containing ferric sulphate Per cent copper p ton of are in tailings The above table makes it clear that the recovery of copper is more complete when the ore contains ferric sulphate than it 15 when the ore contains ferrous sulphate, the

Application'filed October s, 1926. Serial No. 139,755.

and the pulp containing the finely ground oreand water may then besubjeeted to the action of an oxidizing agent, such as bleaching powder, or, if preferred, the oxidizing agent may be brought in contact with the ore pulp during the grinding stage. If'no alkali or alkaline earth had been added at the grinding stage, it may be added coin-. cidentally with the oxidizing agent, and the pulp so treated agitatedior a sufiicient time to convert those solu'ule constituents and those constituents alie dy precipitated by the alkali or alkaline earth which were originally present, in a low .ate oi oxidization, to a higher state of oxidation, as, for instance, manganous and ferrous sulphates and manganous and'ferrous hydrates would be converted into, in the presence of an alkali or alkaline earth, manganic and ferric hydrates or basic manganic and ferric sulphates, or amixture of these oxidized conipounds. The so-treated pulp is thensuh jected to a froth flotation operation.

Examples of the improvements due to rice.

this treatment of ore pulps previous tofiota- Per cent copper in Method of treatment. v

Nonsnl- 2," phide copper.

1. No oxidizing agent. Reagents, lime, mutilate,

pine m'i 0. 35 2. 21m. bleschingpowder per ton-same reagents. 0.26 0.20 3. Oxygen passed into ore pulp-same 0. 26

Another sample of 'Braden ore was tested, which assayed 2.12% total copper, of which 0.36% was nonsulphide copper.

Per cent copper in talllngs..

4. Nolon'dzlng orient. Reagenti, xnnthate and no 0 5. Bibs. bleaching powder per ton. Same reagents;

A copper ore, which contained ten pounds of normal ferrous sulphate per ton, gave the following results:

It is evident from the foregoing tests and examples that by the simple treatment as outlined and which can be duplicated by anyone skilled in the art, improved recoverics of metals are obtained, and also'where the-water used in the process is returned and reused continuously, this water will not build up insoluble salts, and all working conditions are improved thereby.

Various oxidizing agents may be -em-- .ployed besides those shown in the examples and I do not wish to lim'itmyself in any way to an specific method of oxidizati'on.

Icaim:

1 The process of recovering metals from so tlieii".:. o1-es which comprises treating the pulp containing the ore to the oxidizing action of bleaching-powder in the resence of analkaline substance and there y precipitatmg oxides associated with the values to 35 be recovered by changing'them into higher oxides, and then adding a flotation agent and subjecting the pulp to a froth flotation process.

2; The process of recovering metals from 4 their ores which comprises converting metallic oxides associated with the values to be recovered to higher oxides by means of an oxidizing agent and thereby precipitat ing said oxides, and then subjecting the so treated pulp to froth flotation.

ture.

ALBERT W. HAHN.

In testimony whereof I allix my signa- 

